


The Absent Aviator

by agentz123



Series: Who is Donald Duck? [23]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Adventure, An Explanation As to Why Donald Duck Does Not Hang Out With His Family in Canon, Angst, Astronomy, Avoidance, Coping, Dad! Donald, Dad! Scrooge, Della Duck Slander Lite, Duck Twins, Family, Gen, Grief, HONORARY NIECE WEBBY, He’s trying his best, Honorary Duck Family Member Launchpad McQuack, Honorary Duck Family Member Webby Vanderquack, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Minor Character Death, Launchpad is a Sweetheart, Lost - Freeform, Louie Said So Himself in S1’s “The Impossible Summit of Mt. Neverrest!”, Love for the Himbo, Parent Scrooge McDuck, Red - Freeform, She Does Deserve it Though, Takes Place Before the Events of S1’s “The House of the Lucky Gander!”, Trust, Trying to Bond Over Mutual Hate for Gladdy, Twin Bond, Well-Meaning but Misguided
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 07:16:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30051867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentz123/pseuds/agentz123
Summary: The family prepares to visit Cousin Gladstone in Macaw.
Relationships: Della Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck & Della Duck, Donald Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Dewey Duck & Webby Vanderquack, Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck & Gladstone Gander, Scrooge McDuck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Dewey Duck & Webby Vanderquack, Scrooge McDuck & Launchpad McQuack
Series: Who is Donald Duck? [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1890283
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	The Absent Aviator

**Author's Note:**

> I’m bingeing the series right now before the finale and on break I wanted to come back to this old WIP. Enjoy!

“Hey, Mr. Dee!”

Donald stepped off the gangplank and onto the back lawn of his uncle’s immense garden, meeting Launchpad McQuack at the landing pad with a quick nod. Carefully avoiding puddles of soap, Donald watched warily as the...pilot grabbed a sponge soaked with wax and smacked it against the Cloudslayer. The subsequent sheen caused the sunlight to reflect against the warm metal, making it seem as if the craft were on fire. 

Smoke billowed throughout the night sky, entwining the dimming stars with unnatural clouds. The flames continued eating at the atmosphere as the Spear ripped through the air, the moonlight magnifying its redness, and then that’s all Donald saw, only red, the scarlet of rage, the crimson of the violence of betrayal, and blood dripping from the sky, his heart catching a leak as it launched into the moon without much more than a twinkle. 

Then he saw a more gentle hue, one that reminded him of cherry candy, of sweetness, and he realized that he had to pull himself together. Even if he had to stretch all the way to the heavens to do so. 

“Hi, kids,” he chirped weakly. He took notice of how they each blinked out sparks of excitement, ready for their next adventure. “Where are you headed today?”

“Looking at some golden grasshopper thing. Hopefully Uncle Scrooge lets us bring it home so I can put it up for sale on the Internet,” Louie yawned, tapping away on his phone. 

“Nar a grasshopper, lad. A cricket,” Scrooge growled in that old people way that demanded respect. He elaborated for his nephew over his shoulder as he ushered the wee ones into the Sunchaser. “Temple ae the Golden Cricket, Donnie. It’s bin fifty years past.”

“Okay.” Uninterested, Donald picked up the bucket and started helping Launchpad clean up before he got wrapped up in the garden hose and crashed through the garage door or something. 

“Remember when ye were a bairn and begged me tae go and see it?”

“Nerp.”

A cane came down in front of him, blocking his path and nearly causing him to crack his beak across the concrete. “Donald, ye’ve got tae trust me by now.”

“I trust my kids. _Not you._ ”

“Della’s.”

“What.”

“They’re Della’s, Donald,” Scrooge corrected softly. “And then the lass belongs tae Beakley.”

 _TRANSMISSION LOST_ zipped through Donald’s eyes, the phrase the same color as the celebratory wine she had poured before both of them called it a night. Before she deserted them in a sea of wreckage. 

“You must want something if you keep talking to me,” he hissed through gritted teeth, praying that he could keep his cool just this once. The last time he lost his temper in this garden...he had fallen into a bad place. 

Scrooge sighed. “Macaw is a stone’s throw away from the temple. Gladstone sent a distress signal from that captivating casino he’s staying at.”

Realization dawned on Donald. “NO.” 

“What is it ye always say? ‘Family helps family’? Ye dinnae want tae be a bad influence fae the kids?”

No, Della had already done that. 

The miser sighed, rubbing his neck anxiously as he tried to think his idea through. His nephew was obviously still grieving, and understandably so, but the lad loved — loves adventuring! He shouldn’t get denied the thrill and joy and satisfaction over a single loss. Not everyone gets hurt. Not always. 

Scrooge wanted to be there for Donald the same way Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Webbigail were there for him. He wanted to reignite the passion for adventure, to recover that one part of Donald that had been lost to space. All the boy needed was one good adventure to help him push past the pain...

He took Donald’s anger and worked with it, deciding to utilize their established irritation with that lethargic loafer they called family. 

“Yer not gonnae tae leave me tae see Gladstone all by myself, are you lad?”

“You won’t be alone. You’ve got the kids waiting for you.”

Still a smart arse after all of these years! “Nonsense, Donald. Board the plane.”

Scrooge was surprised to see how Donald’s cheeks squeezed out the red in his face, almost as if the boy was juicing beets with his grinding teeth. He looked paler than the light side of a full moon. “No! I already told you, I’m not getting into another plane ever again! Not without my pilot!” Donald’s voice broke, threatening to open his tear ducts. He cleared his throat. “You’re lucky I’m even allowing the boys to go.” 

“Donald…” he started. 

“Scrooge…” he mocked. 

“Donald, I’m giving ye tae the count ae three tae board the plane.” 

The younger duck had to laugh. “I’m not a duckling anymore, Scrooge. You can’t make me do anything.” 

Scrooge looked again and saw a lanky teenager before him, blowing that bastard bang out of his eyes and folding his arms. He blinked and returned to the present. “One,” he drawled. Donald’s laughter was replaced with anger. 

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? I am NOT going. Have fun, be safe.” He waved at the window from which the kids had been staring, and blew four kisses. 

“Two…”

The four of them slid down and sat properly after Uncle Donald had motioned for them to put on their seatbelts. “Wait, why is Uncle Donald leaving? I thought he was coming with us.”

“That’s what Mr. McDuck said, at least. But you know how Donald is.” 

There was suddenly a loud crash and a gust of white feathers. 

“No!”

“Donald, come ON! Launchpad is one ae the best pilots I know! Ye can trust him!”

“Aw, Mr. McDee! You mean it?”

Scrooge managed to keep Donald pinned down as he addressed Launchpad. His nephew was much skinnier than when he saw him last. The old duck shoved down his concern to yell at his employee. “Of course not, ye dopey driver! But Donald doesn’t know that!”

“How stupid do you think I am?!”

“Ooh, ooh!” Launchpad clapped excitedly. “One of your famous altercations! Can you do one with ‘pilot’ in it?”

“I think that’s ‘alliterations,’ Launchpad,” Dewey corrected without confidence. He looked over at Huey, who gave him a thumbs-up. 

“Just get us outtae here, Launchpad!”

Donald sullenly buckled up and watched the sun go down.


End file.
